


Ne'er a fear of drowning

by suyari



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Chanceigh, Death in Childbirth, Love at First Sight, Miscarriage, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2018-02-05 02:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1802017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suyari/pseuds/suyari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chuck stopped believing in happy endings when he was five years old. One finds him anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ne'er a fear of drowning

Chuck huddled in his parka and kicked at the snow. When he’d agreed to work as an assistant on his father and uncle’s latest trip, he’d naively thought they’d be going somewhere _amazing_. And while the scenery was in fact...quite breathtaking actually, it was also so literally. 

“Chuck!” his dad cried, flagging him over. 

He stomped down the snow as he crossed and ended up getting stuck twice up to his knee. His uncle laughed as he finally managed to scramble his way over, giving him a hand up. He paused to look out across the valley and felt his breath catch yet again. Glittering snow and constructs of ice went on in every direction, reflecting the light of the stars and ribbon of lights above them. It rippled around like waves of color, a living sea of beauty. 

Scott nudged his shoulder hard enough that he had to catch his footing. “Beautiful, yeah?”

“It’s still too fucking cold!” he snapped, crouching down to take a look at the gear his father was poking at. Really, they were both completely hopeless. And he didn’t care for the smirk his father was wearing - too damn smug for his tastes. 

His dad clapped him on the shoulder in thanks and got up, brushing snow from his pants. 

“Scott!” he said suddenly, bracing a hand over his eyes as if that would help him see any better. 

Uncle Scott jogged over, too perfectly smoothly in Chuck’s opinion, and hopped up onto the rocks. 

“Think that’s them?” his dad asked.

“We’ll know in a moment either way,” his uncle replied. 

They stood there waiting as Chuck handled the business of making sure their highly sensitive equipment wouldn’t suffer from exposure. He looked up as they both waved, arms up and flagging. But they were in the way of whatever was coming up the ridge, and Chuck supposed whomever it was had waved back, because he couldn’t hear anything. 

There was no crunch of boots, so he dropped his wrench when a voice he did not recognize said, “Hey great, you made it!” 

Herc and Scott crossed over to shake hands and Chuck could just make out the shapes of two people around them. Generally, in this weather, it was easy to count people. You looked for hats or the puff of jackets. But, the newcomers seemed to not be wearing any. Which was reason enough to get up and take a look. 

“Thanks for inviting us,” his father replied, free hand clapping the forearm of a tall blond man, their hands already locked together. 

“Took you long enough to come out,” another blond said, from Uncle Scott’s arms, the two embracing like old friends. Uncle Scott had always been a hugger. Seemed like if this man wasn’t, he was at least tolerant of it, and that always won people points in Chuck’s book. 

“Yeah, well, we’re busy men,” Scott said, both hands slapping heartily against the blond’s back. They landed with solid thuds that made Chuck wonder about the muscle density in the guy walking around in nothing but a leather jacket. 

“It’s nice to have you, regardless,” the first replied, in matching leather jacket, and nothing else to brace against the cold. 

“Oh,” his dad said, turning and gesturing at Chuck - half beckon, half presentation. “This is m’ son, Chuck.” He tucked a hand against the small of Chuck’s back as he got close and gave him a little nudge. “Chuck, this is Yancy and Raleigh Becket.” He nodded at each. “Our hosts.”

“This is their land,” Scott added, arms out. “All of this. For miles, right?”

The Beckets looked at one another and gave small smiles that spoke of some joke none of them were privy to. 

“Couple, yeah,” Yancy said. 

“We can give you a tour,” Raleigh added. “If you like.” 

Chuck sighed as his dad and uncle looked to one another consideringly. “Just go,” he said, throwing up both arms. “I’ll just stay here and freeze to death. Don’t let that keep you from enjoying yourselves.” 

“You’re not…?” 

“Not stable,” Chuck interrupted, before either man could answer for him. “Only child.”

The Beckets sucked in air through their teeth, faces pulling in understanding. It was a look Chuck was used to. Whatever genes had decided shifters were only safe to shift in the company of their littermates had royally screwed Chuck over. 

“My mom was only half, even though she could shift. Three sisters.”

The Beckets looked sorry they asked. Which was another look he was used to. Shifters were designed to have families. But once you mixed blood with humans, you were lucky to get any shifter kids at all. Chuck’s mom had been the only one of her family to shift, and hadn’t done it until she was older, when a family tragedy had whittled their number down. She’d been sent to live with her uncle, his mate and their kids. There’d been a set of twins his mother’s age, and one day, she’d just blossomed. It was how she’d met his dad. His Hansen Grandparents hadn’t liked that their eldest son had fallen in love with someone who may prove infertile. But his parents had been determined, and with Uncle Scott’s help, had run off and eloped. Chuck was born within the year, and his grandparents had been so delighted, they’d embraced them back into the fold of the family without so much as a reprimand. There hadn’t been any others born that year, or the next. His mom got pregnant twice more. Once when Chuck was three - and he still cannot erase the sight of her clutching the banister and screaming for his father while blood quickly stained her long white skirt. And again when he was five. Chuck can still remember the feel of his baby sister fluttering around inside his mother’s belly. Can remember the sound of her heartbeat against his ear and the way she would kick back when he poked at her. His mother had carried her to full term and gone into labor. Chuck remembers very clearly sitting in the waiting room with his uncle, legs swinging under the seat of his chair and telling him all the things they were going to turn into together. Scott had indulged him, engaged him, and as the hours dragged by, had been his source of comfort. Putting him to sleep with his thigh as a pillow and a hand stroking his back. When Chuck woke, it was to find his father sobbing brokenly against his uncle, all folded in and small, hands clasping so tightly, they shook with the effort not to change, leaving holes. 

Wendy and his mother went to heaven together that day and Chuck stopped believing in happy endings. 

His uncle had yet to find a mate, though Chuck had his suspicions, and thus had never had any children. He’d offered to do the unthinkable - impregnate a human on purpose without a bond - so Chuck would have a littermate, but Chuck’s father had refused to allow their family to go through any more pain. Chuck was eleven and playing footie when he met his first non-related shifter. Seven kids in their family, and all of them in sets, one right after the other. Chuck and the twins in the middle became best mates and their family was always glad to have him around. One day they were playing in the swimming pool and Chuck felt funny. His stomach jerking and his limbs aching. He’d clutched at himself and felt shocks of pain shooting through all his bones. The eldest had seen him struggling and jumped in to fish him out and Chuck had shifted for the first time in his life right there on their back porch. 

He’d woken to the feel of eyes and lifted his head to see the entire party standing around him. All of them beaming. He’d made to push himself up and ended up nose over tail. His surprised yelp accompanying the sudden fly of four legs had gotten him a riot of delighted laughter. His grandparents had been beside themselves - their line secure. 

By the time he was fourteen, his friends had moved away, and letters could not do for a shifter what presence managed. He began to shift at random, whenever he was upset or excited. There were days all he wanted to do was shift and run, but couldn’t get his body to respond. By sixteen, his father and uncle had become forerunners in their field and they began to travel around the world. Sometimes Chuck would accompany them. Others he stayed home, or with his grandparents. He began to see how rare their kind was, and why it was frowned upon to mix blood. Could even understand it when the cost was so high. Even with his mostly shifter blood, he encountered prejudice and it became harder and harder to interact with people. Especially his own kind. He tried not to let it influence him but he was still human, and he had his low days. 

It became routine to explain himself and he hated having to tote it all out over and over again. He’d simplified the story, but it still bothered him that he needed to tell it at all. Let alone so often. 

Instead of cheerfully abandoning him however, the Beckets surprised him - and his old man and uncle - when they asked together, “How old are you?” 

“Twenty-one,” he responded automatically, still thrown. 

“I’m twenty-six. Yance is twenty-nine. We should do, but our sister’s twenty-five if you need someone closer.” 

Chuck blinked, staring at Raleigh’s hand as he held it out. He dropped his own into it a moment later and Yancy dropped one of his on top, sealing him in. He could feel the pull of change churn in his gut, his body responding immediately. He yanked his hand free, suddenly overheated and began tearing out of his clothes. In the end, his pants got caught on his boots, which he ended up shifting in. They were far less complicated to step out of as a wolf, and he kicked his legs free, shaking out his fur as a sense of deep relief flooded through him. 

When he looked up again, exhaling all the stress his body had built up over the past year and a half without, he found himself pausing. The Beckets were _massive_. Nearly identical in size and shape they looked down at him with amusement in their eyes. Twin kites descended upon them, ruffling feathers to trap heat and burrowing between shoulderblades for warmth. Raleigh and Yancy nuzzled full bodied against one another, redistributing fur. Once their passengers comfort had been seen to, they lumbered off. Chuck raced out after them, running circles around them until they poured on the speed. Chuck was delighted, heart alight in the feel of his other form again. Snow beneath his paws and the crisp scent of frost in the wind. The lights above them danced and the group tore through the clearing, wings taking to the air - probably for safety reasons more than joining in on the fun - and Chuck was completely lost to it. 

After about a half hour of steady pace, both Beckets transformed mid run, throwing their arms out and ceasing movement all together. Snow hissed and sizzled as their bodies sunk into drifts that embraced them when they fell. Chuck raced back, tongue lolling and looked in after them. Talons settled against his spine, wings fluttering closed. He could _feel_ their hearts racing. Maybe they _had_ flown for the sheer joy of it. Hands reached out swiftly, catching him on either side of the face and rolling him. He gave a surprised yipe which was enough warning for his family to clear his space before he was dragged into the snow. He rolled and wiggled, scrambling up and out before rolling all about, scenting the snow and kicking up a great mess. He shifted back mid roll and ended up on his back, arms and legs splayed, staring up at the stars. Snow melted around him under the heat of the change as it poured free of his body. And the coolness felt good against his skin. 

Raleigh sat up, snow falling free of him in a sopping heap that permeated the bed of snow it fell into. He extended his arms, clasping his hands above him and stretched wide. Yancy rolled, an arm reaching up, hand clasping Raleigh’s shoulder and using it as leverage to get up. 

“Winded, old man?” Raleigh teased. 

Yancy’s hand swept the snow, shucking a freezing spray at him. 

His brother just laughed. 

“It’s so beautiful out here,” Chuck hummed in contentment, relaxing into his snowbed. “I could run all day under this sky.”

The kites dropped down, transforming into his uncle and father, who dropped feet first into the snow and shook off the chill. They didn’t expend as much heat, and recuperated much more quickly in extreme temperatures. Which meant they’d be feeling it in a few moments. 

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” Raleigh said. 

“Invitation’s always open,” Yancy added, looking at the elder Hansen men. 

“Can we talk about this somewhere I’m not in danger of losing important bits?” Scott asked, arms folded across his already shaking chest. 

The Beckets laughed, looking skyward as both older men shifted and took off again in the blink of an eye. 

“Sure they’ll survive out here, Yance?” 

Yancy smiled. “We’ll keep them warm enough. You too, kid,” he added, chin jutting in Chuck’s direction. “If you want.”

Chuck grinned. “Gonna have to catch me first.”

He twisted, shifting, and took only a moment to enjoy the bliss of it before darting off. 

“Kid’s gonna be the death of me,” he heard Yancy grumble. 

“You survived me and Jaz,” answered Raleigh. 

A bear’s snort was Yancy’s response. 

Chuck swung back around, catching Raleigh midshift and darting under him before his forelegs could hit the snow. Yancy barreled after him, swiping him playfully. Chuck dodged, but went down against Raleigh’s side, who reared and dropped all his weight suddenly. Snow arced up, great billows floating about. His father and uncle swooped down to claw teasingly against his fur. As they flew free, Yancy shoved a tree. All the breath - and momentum - left Chuck as he was buried suddenly from the tree’s unburdening. 

He came up laughing, arms flailing. Shifting just for the _feel_ of it. Just because he could. He shifted back, shaking out, and again, stretching deeply. Arms caught about his middle and he nearly squeaked in surprise at the sensation of a super heated body, slick with sweat and melted snow pressing against his. 

“Will you let us take care of you, Chuck?” Raleigh asked. 

“I’m no one’s pet, mate,” he responded, chin raised. 

“He wasn’t talking about that,” Yancy replied, pressing up against his back. 

“Dunno,” he countered. “I’m right miserable. I bite.” He grinned. 

“Good,” Raleigh said, flashing his teeth in a wide grin. “So do we.” 

“Think about it,” Yancy added, rocking his hips into him, ensuring his intentions were clear. 

“Plan t’ do more ‘n think about it,” Chuck informed them. Then took the window of their surprise to shift, body slipping free and darting forward. He paused, raising his tail to flash them a challenge before taking off into the trees. 

He’d been many places around the world and he’d met all kinds of people. But aside from his family and the love of a few alliances here and there, he’d never been _wanted_ before. His heart pounded at the mere _idea_. He needed the run to calm himself down, to clear his head, and to be sure they were behind him every step of the way. 

They didn’t run, falling into a steady lumber behind him, but every time he looked over his shoulder, the brothers were still coming. When he looked up ahead, every now and again, he’d catch sight of his uncle and dad, sweeping spiraling circles around one another. Rolling and dropping and looking for all the world like a happy pair. 

Chuck had never given his life much thought. Had never sought a happy ending. But if he had to make the choice, he knew he could find happiness here, with them. Yancy and Raleigh Becket may not have had enough time to impress their personalities upon him, but they’d freely shared their bond as littermates with him without hesitation. Their offer to care for him, though he’d teased them about it, he knew to be genuine. Love at first sight was common among their kind. And once rooted, would flower and grow. With the return of sentiment, that process happened much more rapidly and was founded far more deeply, resulting in a strong, steady and stable bond that was all but impossible to shake. 

He shifted, leaning back against a tree and crossing his legs at the ankle. He didn’t have to wait long. 

The brothers shifted and covered the rest of the distance on foot, wrapping their arms about him and drawing him close like a treasured thing. He smiled up at them, not an ounce of fear in his heart, nor sliver of doubt. They knew what he was and they didn’t care. Wanted him anyway, regardless. Wanted to be the source of his shift and keep him near to them always. 

He could live with that.

Happily.

**Author's Note:**

> I just realized, it might not have been clear. The Becket Boys shift into Polar Bears in this. In case anyone was left wondering. Sorry about that.


End file.
